ADSL disconnection (no auto-reconnect) - will a router solve this?

Hi,

Was with BT now Zen - Zen are far better for virtually all things but
I seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen. Tried both a 330
and back to stingray modem - no good - I reconnect but have a dead
conncetion, only thing that works is rebooting the PC.

On XP pro, I wonder if moving to a router will solve the reconnect
issue? I hope it's not an OS issue. It seems many routers give weekly
problems - if it was not for the auto-reconnect issue, the modem's are
fine.

So, does anyone have experiences of routers not allowing an
auto-reconnect (or similar) if the ADSL drops for instants every now
and then.

Thanks for any help.

Try a Draytek. They reconnect without any intervention. But check you XP
setup is OK first which could be the reason.

--
Peter Crosland

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> I seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen. Tried both a 330
> and back to stingray modem - no good - I reconnect but have a dead
> conncetion, only thing that works is rebooting the PC.

I deduce that you're talking about a USB connection.

> On XP pro, I wonder if moving to a router will solve the reconnect
> issue?

It beats having to reboot the OS every time, anyway!

IMHO, getting a USB connection is a false economy. At the very least,
one should start with a router.

I started, some time back, with plusnet's option of a BT Voyager 205,
which has only one ethernet port.

That port is now connected to another box which has 4 ethernet LAN
ports (i.e three difference pieces of kit can connect to it) as well
as a wireless AP.

Looking at the prices of boxes nowadays, I'd say if you have any
prospect of wanting any of those things, you might as well buy a
single box that can do them all (ADSL modem, router, ethernet switch
with typically 4 ports, and a wireless base), rather than economising
now and then adding on boxes later. If you're intending to go into
VoIP, consider getting a box which incorporates that too.

> I hope it's not an OS issue.

Well, I run two different kinds of Win (2K and XP), and two different
kinds of Linux (SL3 with 2.4 kernel, SL4 with 2.6 kernel), and never
need to worry for a moment whether there's going to be a USB driver
for the ADSL - every damned box has, at least, a working ethernet
port - my laptop routinely uses the wifi.

> It seems many routers give weekly problems

Works for me. You just don't hear from the thousands who don't have a
problem. Though I couldn't personally advise you which brand to go
for - check the usual brand reports for ideas.

I reckon that you won't regret the change. It also gives you an extra
layer of security against network hackers.

> So, does anyone have experiences of routers not allowing an
> auto-reconnect (or similar) if the ADSL drops for instants every now
> and then.

I think that depends on just where the break is occurring.

But on my experience (aside from these last few days while it's doing
its initial training after the upgrade from 2M to Max - see other
postings on this group), the ISP connection stays up for many days on
end without fuss. My guess is that you're falling foul of some bug in
your PC's software, which the use of an ADSL router would solve. But
without more detailed diagnostics, who can say? At least the '205 has
two different test routines - a simple one and an advanced one - which
can be run to locate any problem which arises. Other boxes would have
something similar, no doubt.

good luck

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
"Was with BT now Zen - Zen are far better for virtually all things but I
seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen."
So from packet loss to connection loss. Ummm. Wonder if after changing from
BT to Zen that it will turn out to be your kit after all...........
(sarcastic dig.... but moving on....)

Most routers can be configured to auto reconnect if the connection drops. I
know that my linksysWAG354G does, provided you place a tick in the box.
In fact I don't recall one which will not in recent history myself. I
imagine that ZEN like other isps kill idle connections earlier than most,
say 10 minutes as opposed to around half an hour. Of course the router
option should only be attempted if you know a little about networking, but
judging from your other posts about packet loss etc I guess you would have
no problem with that, and if you did there are many folk here with good
advice that could steer you right.

Having had various modems and routers over the time I have to say that the
WAG354G pisses over everything else in it's price range. I go sick of
netgear junk failing (I would so like to kick the guy in the nuts who told
me they make good gear) that I tried in on the strength of a few reviews at
ebuyer.com and it's been ace.

"Sucuba Dude" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:drdhhs$ba8$(E-Mail Removed)...

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
"Was with BT now Zen - Zen are far better for virtually all things but I
seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen."
So from packet loss to connection loss. Ummm. Wonder if after changing from
BT to Zen that it will turn out to be your kit after all...........
(sarcastic dig.... but moving on....)

Most routers can be configured to auto reconnect if the connection drops. I
know that my linksysWAG354G does, provided you place a tick in the box.
In fact I don't recall one which will not in recent history myself. I
imagine that ZEN like other isps kill idle connections earlier than most,
say 10 minutes as opposed to around half an hour. Of course the router
option should only be attempted if you know a little about networking, but
judging from your other posts about packet loss etc I guess you would have
no problem with that, and if you did there are many folk here with good
advice that could steer you right.

Having had various modems and routers over the time I have to say that the
WAG354G pisses over everything else in it's price range. I go sick of
netgear junk failing (I would so like to kick the guy in the nuts who told
me they make good gear) that I tried in on the strength of a few reviews at
ebuyer.com and it's been ace.

My Belkin router has been connected to zen for the last 500 odd days!

**SS**

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 15:32:16 +0000, "Alan J. Flavell"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Fri, 27 Jan 2006, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
>> I seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen. Tried both a 330
>> and back to stingray modem - no good - I reconnect but have a dead
>> conncetion, only thing that works is rebooting the PC.
>
>I deduce that you're talking about a USB connection.
>
>> On XP pro, I wonder if moving to a router will solve the reconnect
>> issue?
>
>It beats having to reboot the OS every time, anyway!
>
>IMHO, getting a USB connection is a false economy. At the very least,
>one should start with a router.
>
>I started, some time back, with plusnet's option of a BT Voyager 205,
>which has only one ethernet port.
>
>That port is now connected to another box which has 4 ethernet LAN
>ports (i.e three difference pieces of kit can connect to it) as well
>as a wireless AP.
>
>Looking at the prices of boxes nowadays, I'd say if you have any
>prospect of wanting any of those things, you might as well buy a
>single box that can do them all (ADSL modem, router, ethernet switch
>with typically 4 ports, and a wireless base), rather than economising
>now and then adding on boxes later. If you're intending to go into
>VoIP, consider getting a box which incorporates that too.
>
>> I hope it's not an OS issue.
>
>Well, I run two different kinds of Win (2K and XP), and two different
>kinds of Linux (SL3 with 2.4 kernel, SL4 with 2.6 kernel), and never
>need to worry for a moment whether there's going to be a USB driver
>for the ADSL - every damned box has, at least, a working ethernet
>port - my laptop routinely uses the wifi.
>
>> It seems many routers give weekly problems
>
>Works for me. You just don't hear from the thousands who don't have a
>problem. Though I couldn't personally advise you which brand to go
>for - check the usual brand reports for ideas.
>
>I reckon that you won't regret the change. It also gives you an extra
>layer of security against network hackers.
>
>> So, does anyone have experiences of routers not allowing an
>> auto-reconnect (or similar) if the ADSL drops for instants every now
>> and then.
>
>I think that depends on just where the break is occurring.
>
>But on my experience (aside from these last few days while it's doing
>its initial training after the upgrade from 2M to Max - see other
>postings on this group), the ISP connection stays up for many days on
>end without fuss. My guess is that you're falling foul of some bug in
>your PC's software, which the use of an ADSL router would solve. But
>without more detailed diagnostics, who can say? At least the '205 has
>two different test routines - a simple one and an advanced one - which
>can be run to locate any problem which arises. Other boxes would have
>something similar, no doubt.
>
>good luck

Thanks.

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 18:04:08 -0000, "SecretSquiddle"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>"Sucuba Dude" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:drdhhs$ba8$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news(E-Mail Removed).. .
>"Was with BT now Zen - Zen are far better for virtually all things but I
>seem to disconnect much more frequently with Zen."
>So from packet loss to connection loss. Ummm. Wonder if after changing from
>BT to Zen that it will turn out to be your kit after all...........
>(sarcastic dig.... but moving on....)
>
>Most routers can be configured to auto reconnect if the connection drops. I
>know that my linksysWAG354G does, provided you place a tick in the box.
>In fact I don't recall one which will not in recent history myself. I
>imagine that ZEN like other isps kill idle connections earlier than most,
>say 10 minutes as opposed to around half an hour. Of course the router
>option should only be attempted if you know a little about networking, but
>judging from your other posts about packet loss etc I guess you would have
>no problem with that, and if you did there are many folk here with good
>advice that could steer you right.
>
>Having had various modems and routers over the time I have to say that the
>WAG354G pisses over everything else in it's price range. I go sick of
>netgear junk failing (I would so like to kick the guy in the nuts who told
>me they make good gear) that I tried in on the strength of a few reviews at
>ebuyer.com and it's been ace.
>
>My Belkin router has been connected to zen for the last 500 odd days!
>
>**SS**

That's not bad

My connection drops with heavy traffic - so it's not anything to do
with idle time. It reconnects but is useless, so I doubt it's the OS -
guess I will need to get a router as advised. I have had 8 days solid
connection with long pauses of activity - still no auto-connect, but
lately the connection has been dropping quite frequently. Zen have
been doing some work though.

Thanks for the help